Activity 2: Story - Crossing the Finish Line Together
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- A copy of the story, "Crossing the Finish Line Together"
Preparation for Activity
- Read the story several times so you are comfortable telling it to the group.
- Review the discussion questions and choose those that will best help the children share their interpretations of the story and relate it to their own lives.
Description of Activity
Read or tell the story to the group.
After the story, invite the group to be silent for a moment to think about it.
Begin a discussion by asking the children to recap the story in their own words. What they recall indicates what they found most meaningful or memorable.
Lead a discussion using these questions:
- What motivated the other racers to stop and help their competitor?
- How does this story show an example of the ethic of reciprocity in action?
- Do you think the racers thought about it first, or instantly stopped to help? If they stopped to think about it, what made them decide to turn around?
- Could this happen in a regular Olympic race? Why or why not?
- Do you think we need to be taught to "treat others how we want to be treated"? Or, is it something that comes naturally?
- When have you acted from the ethic of reciprocity or Golden Rule? Do you always act on it? Why or why not?